Clinton walks back 'deplorables' comment: I 'regret' using the term to describe 'half' of Trump's supporters

Hillary Clinton. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik Hillary Clinton on Saturday walked back comments she made about supporters of Donald Trump at an event in New York City.

Clinton said on Friday evening that you could put half of the Republican presidential nominee's supporters in a "basket of deplorables," which she said would include racists, xenophobes, and homophobes.

But, following a firestorm of backlash, Clinton released a statement saying her comments were "grossly generalistic," and that she regretted denigrating "half" of Trump's supporters.

While she offered remorse for her comments, Clinton also said it was "deplorable" that Trump has built his campaign "largely on prejudice and paranoia" and has "given a national platform to hateful views and voices."

"As I said, many of Trump's supporters are hard-working Americans who just don't feel like the economy or our political system are working for them," she added.

Clinton resolved to try to "bring our country together" and "make our economy work for everyone."

Trump, along with his running mate Mike Pence, responded on Saturday by criticizing the comments Hillary made on Friday.

"Wow, Hillary Clinton was SO INSULTING to my supporters, millions of amazing, hard working people. I think it will cost her at the Polls!" Trump tweeted.

Pence piled on, saying at the Values Voter Summit that Clinton's "low opinion" of Trump's supporters should be "denounced in the strongest possible terms."

"Hillary, they are not a basket of anything," Pence said. "They are Americans, and they deserve your respect."

The Trump campaign also released a statement on Saturdy afternoon calling Hillary's comments on Friday the "worst mistake of the political season."

"For the first time in a long while, her true feelings came out, showing bigotry and hatred for millions of Americans," the statement continued. "How can she be President of our country when she has such contempt and disdain for so many great Americans?"